1960’s Promotional Video of Seaside Heights

Statement from the Seaside Heights Office of Public Relations regarding the Promotional Film of Seaside Heights from 1960:

This promotional film of Seaside Heights from 1960 was discovered by Peter J. Smith, Director of the Seaside Heights Office of Public Relations in May 2008, and was converted to modern video format by Joe Verderosa of Greenrose Media and is now posted on youtube.com to be enjoyed worldwide.
Peter had seen this film once before in his life as a child, when it was shown by Mr. Hugh J. Boyd, Principal of the namesake school in Seaside Heights. Working for Seaside Heights as an adult, and feeling the film reel must be somewhere, Peter spent five years looking for it inside the Borough Hall. Several other films were found from the past over the years, but none had been “it”.
One day, Peter had to reach high on a shelf to retrieve a box of 8 radios. However, the box only had 7 radios inside. This made him grab a stepladder and look for the missing eighth radio. The radio was found in the far back of the highest shelf, on top of a reel of film, which turned out to be the long-lost Sun and Fun promo footage in pristine condition. We like to think that the spirit of 12-term Seaside Heights Mayor J. Stanley Tunney, who appears in this film, and is believed to occasionally make a paranormal visit to the Borough Hall, led us to this valuable piece of history.”

ADDITIONAL UPDATES REGARDING 1960 FILM:

The response to the 1960 film has been astounding, and to date (7/25), it has gotten 21,000 hits on youtube.com, with a continuing growing amount of viewers. Many people have been touched by the film. There have been recognitions of some of those who appeared in it, including “Lucky” Carrozza of Fascination, and daughter Sue Cassadonte seen bathing, as well as Doreen (Chabok) Paola as a 6-year old girl. The Seaside Heights Office of Public Relations intends to release vintage films from the 1970’s and the 1980’s as well soon, due to the unpredicted popularity of the film.

UPDATE 2016: The Seaside Heights 1960: The Town That Fun Built film has nearly 250,000 hits on youtube.com, and has been universally popular since it’s discovery 8 years ago. As the film continues to remain online, the more and more visitors can enjoy its charm. The film is played on the Seaside Heights Boardwalk at the Tourist Information Center at Blaine Avenue and The Boardwalk on a continuous loop, as well as at the Beachcomber Bar. It has appeared on News 12 Jersey and other places as well.

I happened upon this video and I am so thrilled I did…I spent many a summer on Dupont Ave! My best memories were when I was a child helping my aunt in the Beachcomber in the early mornings preparing it for business. I had my *own little beach* area net to to beachcomber where they could keep an eye on me. I have been searching everywhere for OLD pictures of the beachcomber and the first cottage on Dupont ave …There was Nevers Steak house then that little tine resturant with the moving bulbs out front and then the cottage my aunt had. The memories are so much a part of my life that I want a mural painted in my kitchen of the beachcomber inside and out with all my aunts and uncles and cousins. I cant wait for the other viseos to be released!

Rosemarie: My grandmother had a boarding house directly across the street from Nevers on Dupont adjacent to the open lot. I used to play in that lot hitting stones with a broom handle. I used to play with the boy across the street. Their family operated the Nevers Steak Stand. I forget his name. I spent most the summer there one year. It was probably 1963 I was ten.

Thanks so much for publishing the link to the 1960’s promotional video …love, love loved it !!! What wonderful memories it brought to mind. Every summer we’d pack our car the day after school was out and move to our cottage in Ortley Beach for the summer. I remember taking swimming lessons at the pool….oohh that salt water! My teen years were spent working at Kohr’s on Franklin Ave. We’d wear our bathing suits under our pale blue nylon uniforms so we could run down for a quick swim on our breaks … we’d go back to work dripping wet. Somewhere around midnight when the boardwalk closed, we’d actually walk home, unafraid, smelling like dried custard and orangeade. Back then a custard cone was .25 then soon thereafter a penny tax was added. All our friends worked on the boardwalk or beach, too … a couple as lifeguards (some are still on the beach today!) others operated the rides in Funtown, and a few worked at Brown’s jewelry by the carousel. What a wonderful life we had at the beach … It’s still in my heart. I’m looking forward to those additional video releases.

Danny,
If you would, if you run into Rose and George Esposito, please thank them for a great childhood memory at their 5 cent stand. (as I called it, as a young child.) My grandparents, parents,and I would be playing for that full box of candy.
I hope all of you guys had as much fun working there as I has vacationing there. It was a great time to be at Seaside.

Just wanted to let you know that right after the carousel
scene ther is a shot of a woman making a sandwichwith a man standing behind her with a hat on.They are Trudy and Irwin Loeb.They owned MeatballCity.Just talked to her the other day. Had to Call and tell her about this video. She was thrilled to hear about it.Did you notice the sign behind Irwin says Hamburgers 30 cents.Yep- they definitly were the good old days Pete.I am so happy you found this film.You took me right back to my childhood. Thank You so much!!!! Lisa (SHORE BAKERY )

My dad was a police officer working with your father back in the 50’s and 60’s. We lived on Sumner Avenue and my grandmother lived next door to your family on Grant Avenue so you know this film brought back many good memories. I need to look closer to see if any of my family are in the film as many lived there……I’ll let you know if I’m able to identify any of them. Although we moved to PA, I spent every summer on Grant Avenue until the end of my teenage years. Spent lots of time in Seaside until I was about 31 when my grandmother passed on.

This film was a wonderful find. I grew up on Green Island in Toms River, living there from 1961 to 1969. So many things in the film bring back instant memories like knowing exactly where that taffy stand was and the two custard stands and so much more. Somehow I had gotten over my diappointment at never swimming in the salt water pool but I am feeling it keenly right this minute, always unsuccessful in convincing my parents to spend the money to swim in the pool when the ocean was just steps away and was free. And my fascination w/ coin parking meters begin in Seaside. Thank you for a delightful trip down memory lane. It was all so good back then.

Thanks for this video! What a trip down memory lane! We lived in Newark but spent a least a week in Seaside every summer. Eating at Barney’s, a Kohr’s orange, giant pizza slices and clams on the half shell. What a great time, and place, to be a kid. I remember the locals, and the bennies, all having a great time and getting along. I miss the place and whenever I’m back in Jersey during the summer, drive through and get something to eat..walk the boards and remember a great time in my life.